Auxiliary display receptacle

ABSTRACT

An auxiliary display receptacle or shelf suitable for attachment to regular shelves in a supermarket can be assembled from brackets and foldable blanks. The brackets preferably have a plane of symmetry so that any bracket may serve as either the left or the right hand end of a receptacle. Blanks may be stored in flat condition, may be pre-scored for accurate folding and may have a wide range of lengths.

United States Patent 1191 Hochman AUXILIARY DISPLAY RECEPTACLE [75] Inventor: Arthur Hochman, Union City, NJ.

[73] Assignee: Flextender Corporation of America,

1 Newark, NJ.

22 Filedz Apr. 26, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 247,611

[52] US. Cl 211/126, 248/226 A, 211/148 [51] Int. Cl. ..L A47j 3/14 Field of Search 248/201, 214, 226 A, 248/226 B, 226 C, 247; 220/18; 108/152;

[56] References Cited UNITED'STATES PATENTS 1,068,391

7/1913 Jensen 248/214 1451 July 10, 1973 1,599,653 9/1926 Cranston 248/235 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,242,268 8/1960 France 248/226 A Primary ExaminerWilliam H. Schultz Attorney-Alex Friedman, Harold 1. Kaplan and James K. Silberman [57] i ABSTRACT An auxiliary display receptacle or shelf suitable for attachment to regular shelves in a supermarket can be as- 1 sembled from brackets and foldable blanks. The brackets preferably have a plane of symmetry so that any bracket may serve as either the left or the right hand end of a receptacle. Blanks may be stored in flat condition, may be pre-scored for accurate folding and may have a wide range of lengths. l

' 9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures AUXILIARY DISPLAY RECEPTACLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION attractive in appearance.

Although a variety of auxiliary shelves or receptacles have been devised, the degree of success in meeting the objectives stated has been less than completely satisfactory. Moreover, the auxiliary receptacles now in use are not particularly attractive in appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The auxiliary receptacle or shelf of the present invention consists of two end brackets which may be identical and a suitably folded blank,the ends of which are supported by a flange runningaround a periphery of the brackets. In a preferred form, the bracket which consists of a flat body and means for mounting the bracket on a shelf has a flange which protrudes on both sides of the flat body. Consequently, any bracket may be used at either the left or the right end of a receptacle. Moreover, a bracket 'may serve simultaneously for supporting the ends of two receptacles, one on either side of the bracket.

The receptacle portion of the-shelf may be shipped and stored in flat form as a pre-scored blank, thereby conserving shipping space. Folding of the flank into the desired form imparts rigidity to the receptable fashioned from the folded blank and brackets. The folded blank is attached to the brackets by means of push buttons passing through apertures at corresponding locations in the folded blank and the end brackets.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved auxiliary receptacle for mounting on a shelf the principal parts of which are two end brackets and a folded blank.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved auxiliary receptacle or shelf which is low in cost and attractive in appearance.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved auxiliary receptacle or. shelf which can be clamped to a shelf or used as a counter display.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved auxiliary shelf or receptacle comprising a bracket which can be used either at the left or the right end of said receptacle or which can serve as both simultaneously for receptacles on either side.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved auxiliary receptacle or shelf wherein brackets of one size and type can be used with folded blanks of a variety of lengths and wherein the brackets and the folded blank can be assembled and held together by means of push buttons.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.

The invention accordingly comprises an articlepossessing the features, properties, and the relation of components which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a bracket and a folded blank in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a pre-scored and drilled blank in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a view in partial section of a boss and screw which hold an auxiliary receptacle of the present invention to a shelf;

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4; v

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The auxiliary receptacle or shelf of the present invention generally indicated by the reference numeral 11 is shown in FIG. 1 wherein brackets 12 are fastened to shelf 13 by means of bosses 14 and the ends of threaded rods 15. Threaded rods 15 are mounted in bosses 16.

The brackets 12 as shown in FIG. 1 have a plane of symmetry; flange 17 extends on both sides of flat body section 18 so that any bracket 12 may serve as either the right or the left hand end of a receptable. As is evident, bracket 12 could be made with the flange 17 extending only on one side of the flat body 18. In this case, however, it would be necessary to have two types of brackets, namely, a left hand and a right hand bracket.

Receptacle body 19 is formed by folding pre-scored and pre-drilled blank 21 (FIG. 311.

The way in which receptacle body 19 fits into the bracket 12 is shown in exploded form in FIG. 2. The receptacle itself, has a front face 22, a bottom 23 and a back face 24. Tabs 26 and 27 are bent away from surfaces 23 and 24 so that tabs 26 and 27 are parallel to flat body 18 of bracket 12. Tabs 26 and 27 are predrilled with holes 28 at locations which correspond to holes 29 in bracket 12. Folding of pre-scored blank 21 along lines 31 and 32 results in a top lip 33 and an outer face 34. Bracket 12 has a ridge 36 which together with flange 17 forms a groove 37 which is open at the top. As is evident from FIG. 1, front portion 38 and back portion 39 of flange 17 are shown sloping backward though such a slope is optional. The advantage of such cle. Moreover, the angles between surfaces 24 and 23, between surfaces 23 and 22, between surfaces 22 and 33 and between surfaces 33 and 34 provide rigidity throughout the length of receptable 19. The material of receptacle 19 may be a rigid cardboard or thin metal sheet.

Front surface 22 is preferably shorter than back surface 24 making it possible to expose to view display material on the front surface of packages or other items placed in the auxiliary receptacle 11. Outer face 34 is substantially longer than front face 22 and provides additional space for indicia such as advertising matter.

The way in which threaded rod 15 is held in boss 16 is shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. in the embodiment shown, the boss itself is not threaded but nut 40 resting on ledge 41 is used for supporting threaded rod as it is forced against the underside of a support shelf 13. To avoid marring the underside of support shelf 13 threaded rod 15 may have the end thereof protected by means of a cap 42 which may be of rubber or of a suitable plastic.

The manner in which tab 26 of folded blank 21 is held to flat body 18 is shown in FIG. 7 where push buttons 43 are inserted through the corresponding openings in thetabs and bracket. As is evident, surfaces 22 and 24 could be made longer so that tab 26 would necessarily be bentin an upward direction. Similarly, if surface 23 were made longer, tab 28 could be bent in an inward rather than an outward direction. Also, the tabs and brackets could be joined by other means such as bolts and nuts.

Portion 44 of receptacle body 19 helps to provide stiffness to the system but primarily is intended to overlie the junction between the auxiliary receptacle 11 and the support shelf 13.

It is preferred that flanges 17 and ridges 36 be made with sufficient draft so that bracket 12 can be cast, such a method of manufacture being much cheaper and more suitable for mass production. It will be noted that nut 40 need not be made integral with boss 16. Consequently threaded rod 15 and mating nuts 16 may be stored separately. As a result, the brackets and the flat blanks may be stored and shipped in a minimum of space. The only further accessories needed are the cups 42 and the push buttons 43. Moreover, the method of assembly is so simple that it can be carried out by relatively unskilled labor and very rapidly.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above article without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intendedthat all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

What is claimed is:

l. A bracket suitable for forming in combination with a suitably folded blank a display receptacle attachable to the exterior edge of a shelf, comprising a flat body having two principal faces, rear, front, top and bottom edges, a first boss mounted proximate the top of said rear edge, a second boss mounted on said rear edge below said first boss with sufficient clearance for accepting the edge of a shelf, means mounted in one of said bosses for securing said bracket to a shelf inserted between said bosses, and a flange around the periphery of at least one of said two principal faces of said flat body,said flange defining a supporting and surrounding wall for receiving an edge of the folded blank.

2. A bracket as defined in claim 1, further comprising a ridge parallel and spaced from the portion of said flange at the front edge of said flat body by an amount sufficient for reception of an edge of said folded blank, said ridge extending from proximate the portion of said flange on said bottom edge of said flat body to a point below the portion of said flange on said top edge of said flat body, thereby forming an open-topped groove for receiving said edge of said folded blank.

3. The bracket as defined in claim 1, wherein said flat body has therein apertures for accepting means for securing said folded blank to said bracket.

4. The bracket as defined in claim 1,- further comprising a peripheral flange and ridge on the opposite face of said body so positioned that both faces of said flat body are mirror images of each other, thereby making it possible for any such bracket to serve either as the right or left face of a receptacle or as both simultaneously with respect to two receptacles.

5. The bracket as defined in claim 1, wherein said front edge is shorter than said rear edge thus providing for mating with a similarly folded blank in which a rear face provides support for packages within said receptacle while the visibility of indicia on the front faces of said packages is unobstructed. I

6. The bracket as defined in claim 1, wherein said flange, said ridge and said bosses are tapered so that said bracket may be prepared by casting.

7. The bracket as defined in claim 1, in combination with a folded blank a portion of which is folded to form front, bottom and rear faces of a receptacle, the front face being folded firstly in outwardly horizontal direction and secondly in essentially downward directed to form a short top lip, the direction of said downwardly directed portion being appropriate and its length being such that it fits securely into said groove between said ridge and said flange, at least one section at each edge of the bottom and rear faces of said blank being bent to form tabs parallel to said flat body, each of said tabs being apertured at locations corresponding to said apertures in said flat body whereby said folded blank may be secured to said bracket, and means for securing said folded blank to said bracket at said apertures.

8. The combination of claim 7, wherein tabs are folded downwardly at each edge of said bottom face and rearwardly at each edge of said rear face, the dimensions of said tabs being such that the edges of said tabs rest respectively against said bottom and rear portions of ssid flange.

9. The combination as defined in claim 7, wherein said front and rear portions of said flange, said ridge and said front and rear surfaces of said receptacle are inclined backwardly in order to provide support for packages which may be otherwise unstable when placed in upright position. 

1. A bracket suitable for forming in combination with a suitably folded blank a display receptacle attachable to the exterior edge of a shelf, comprising a flat body having two principal faces, rear, front, top and bottom edges, a first boss mounted proximate the top of said rear edge, a second boss mounted on said rear edge below said first boss with sufficient clearance for accepting the edge of a shelf, means mounted in one of said bosses for securing said bracket to a shelf inserted between said bosses, and a flange around the periphery of at least one of said two principal faces of said flat body, said flange defining a supporting and surrounding wall for receiving an edge of the folded blank.
 2. A bracket as defined in claim 1, further comprising a ridge parallel and spaced from the portion of said flange at the front edge of said flat body by an amount sufficient for reception of an edge of said folded blank, said ridge extending from proximate the portion of said flange on said bottom edge of said flat body to a point below the portion of said flange on said top edge of said flat body, thereby forming an open-topped groove for receiving said edge of said folded blank.
 3. The bracket as defined in claim 1, wherein said flat body has therein apertures for accepting means for securing said folded blank to said bracket.
 4. The bracket as defined in claim 1, further comprising a peripheral flange and ridge on the opposite face of said body so positioned that both faces of said flat body are mirror images of each other, thereby makiNg it possible for any such bracket to serve either as the right or left face of a receptacle or as both simultaneously with respect to two receptacles.
 5. The bracket as defined in claim 1, wherein said front edge is shorter than said rear edge thus providing for mating with a similarly folded blank in which a rear face provides support for packages within said receptacle while the visibility of indicia on the front faces of said packages is unobstructed.
 6. The bracket as defined in claim 1, wherein said flange, said ridge and said bosses are tapered so that said bracket may be prepared by casting.
 7. The bracket as defined in claim 1, in combination with a folded blank a portion of which is folded to form front, bottom and rear faces of a receptacle, the front face being folded firstly in outwardly horizontal direction and secondly in essentially downward directed to form a short top lip, the direction of said downwardly directed portion being appropriate and its length being such that it fits securely into said groove between said ridge and said flange, at least one section at each edge of the bottom and rear faces of said blank being bent to form tabs parallel to said flat body, each of said tabs being apertured at locations corresponding to said apertures in said flat body whereby said folded blank may be secured to said bracket, and means for securing said folded blank to said bracket at said apertures.
 8. The combination of claim 7, wherein tabs are folded downwardly at each edge of said bottom face and rearwardly at each edge of said rear face, the dimensions of said tabs being such that the edges of said tabs rest respectively against said bottom and rear portions of said flange.
 9. The combination as defined in claim 7, wherein said front and rear portions of said flange, said ridge and said front and rear surfaces of said receptacle are inclined backwardly in order to provide support for packages which may be otherwise unstable when placed in upright position. 